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Which Phones Have IR Blasters

A cell phone on a table

Which Phones Have IR Blasters - Samsung

Here is a list of phones that have IR Blasters in them. The phones that I have on this particular list are the most common Samsung phones with Ir blasters. You can find these phones just about anywhere. For some reason, Samsung stopped adding this feature in their phones. I thought that this was one of there best features that set them apart from the iPhone.

Here is a list of those Samsung phones that have IR blasters.

  • Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  • Samsung Galaxy Mega
  • Samsung Galaxy S5 and S5 Active
  • Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos and S5 Mini
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 4
  • Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Active
  • Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

[Tip#1] Phones with IR blasters are great for controlling all electronics in your house.

I like phones which have IR blasters on them mainly because I am able to control everything in my house with my phone. I can control the TV and the cable box with just my phone. I can also use my phone which has an IR blaster to control my surround sound so I happily do not have to get off my couch control everything in the living room.

[Tip#2] Phones with IR blasters are much better than using phones with WiFi.

I like the IR blaster over the wifi because the wifi is very slow and usually does not work worth a darn. But the phones which have IR blasters in them are pretty much 100% reliable and are very fast and responsive. This makes it much easier and less frustrating when I am primarily using it as a remote control for the cable box.

[Tip #3] You do not need service to use a phone with IR blasters as a remote control for your house.

They do not need to have phone service to use the IR blaster which is on the phone. You can have an old phone without service and still use it to control your entire house

Which Phones Have IR BLasters - LG

Here is a list of LG phones which have IR blasters in them. LG included them in almost every single phone that they made from 2013-2016. The LG is a high-quality phone that can compete with the very best phones on the market.

As much as I like the Samsung for my daily phone. They tend to be a little more expensive than other phones which have IR blasters. With the LG series of phones, you still get all the horsepower and functionality of the Samsung phones but for just a little less money.

Here is a list of those LG phones that have IR blasters.

  • LG G2
  • LG G Flex
  • LG G Pro Lite
  • LG Spirit H
  • LG Optimus F6
  • LG Optimus G Pro
  • LG Optimus L9 II
  • LG G Pro 2
  • LG G2 Mini
  • LG G3
  • LG G3 S
  • LG L90
  • LG G Vista
  • LG Volt
  • LG G Flex 2
  • LG G4
  • LG V10
  • LG G5
  • LG V20

Which Phones Have IR BLasters - HTC

Unfortunately for HTC lovers. They do not offer a lot of options when it comes to phones which have IR blasters. But they do at least offer a few different phones with IR blasters. HTC included the IR blasters in their phones from 2013-2016 but then for some reason, they stopped including the IR blaster on their phones.

This company is one of the more popular phone companies currently on the market. They compete for what is left over from the Samsung and iPhone market. But they are a pretty big player inside that small particular market.

Here is a list of those HTC phones that have IR blasters.

  • HTC One M7
  • HTC Max
  • HTC One M8
  • HTC One M9
  • HTC One M9+

 

 

 

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No-Battery Flashlights

No battery flashlight

The no battery flashlight is a flashlight that it literally has no battery on the inside. This means that it has alternative systems to produce energy, but the device will work only while “this alternative system” is working. In general, they are not really that useful and high-quality no battery flashlights are almost inexistent. They are ok to help in an emergency, but for sure they will not solve it.

How does a no battery flashlight work?

Depending on the system, but in general what happens is something similar to a hand crank flashlight or a wind-up flashlight. Basically, the user generates energy by pressing and releasing a button, this goes through a gear system and finally a generator that generates the energy. However, since there is no battery on the inside, there is no possible way to store that energy or to charge it for a specific moment for later use. The second the user stops using the system, the power fades away, and the light is off.

Pros of having a no battery flashlight

The main pro here is that something is better than nothing, no battery flashlights are not really that effective. To begin with, imagine pressing a button at the same time you are trying to aim the light towards the place you want to light, it is not really that comfortable, right?

So, if you are in the dark, for sure some light will be better than no light, but it is not really an efficient product.

Another good thing is the price since most of the no battery flashlight is made in China, they are really cheap and easy to replace. Finally, most of the models available in the general market are at least waterproof; this means that at least it will work while it is raining.

Cons when purchasing a no battery flashlight

The main con is that since the pressure of pressing the button will vary all the time, thus the gears will work at a different pace all the time, it will result in a light that is very unstable. Plus, as we said before, aiming the flashlight towards where you want while pressing the button or whatever system it has to create the energy is not going to be an easy task.

Finally, the lack of ability to store energy makes these products almost useless. We recommend just having one for a worst-case scenario, but if you want to rely on a product of this kind for real blackout emergency, then we would suggest going for a wind-up battery flashlight with an internal battery.

No battery flashlight buyer’s guide

The most important thing to look out for is which is the system that will generate the energy. Be sure to understand this and to know for a fact that you are able to engage that system into action. Then, you can think about which light color, if it is going to be a LED light or not, size, etc. Have in mind, that they are really cheap products so you can go ahead and try to buy one that is a bit better quality than the cheapest in the search list.

Conclusion – Is it worth buying and having a no battery flashlight?

It is not really worth going through all the travel of buying a no battery flashlight, however, since they are cheap products and easy to replace, having at least one near is for sure better than not having one at all.

Also, if you are planning to go somewhere where you will get wet, getting a waterproof product will make in the end a useful product.

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Hand Crank USB Charger

Hand crank USB charger

Like a phone charger that works with a hand crank, the hand crank USB charger is a regular USB charger that instead of being plug to a power supply socket, it comes with an integrated hand crank that when roll creates energy that it is stored into the internal battery making the device ready to be used. These are commonly found on hand crank flashlights.

How does a Hand crank USB charger work?

The basic system converts the energy generated from rolling the hand crank into regular energy, then through different processes, it is converted and stored into the device. Depending on the quality of the hand crank USB charger the ratio of “cranking vs. power,” but as a rule, we can say that one minute of good cranking is enough for about 15-20 minutes of energy, this, of course, will also vary depending on the device you are trying to charge.

Pros of having a Hand crank USB charger

Opposite to a regular phone charger, the USB hand crank chargers have a wider spectrum of devices that can be charged, such as, a digital camera, an MP3 player, PDA Units, cellphones, etc. Depending on the model it may vary how much energy you have to spend in order to store it, but as a rule usually one minute of cranking is good enough for about 15-20 minutes of energy on the device, this is a good ratio plus if it drains out just simple re-crank it and you are ready again.

Also on the plus side, there are a lot of models in the market that are water and hit proof, this comes extra in handy if you are thinking of taking the device into the wild where getting hit and wet is almost inevitable.

Cons when purchasing a Hand crank USB charger

On the cons side, in general, USB charges are not as efficient as tailored chargers. This means that even if you get a full battery on your cell phone (100 %) with a USB hand crank charger, versus the same situation with a specific hand crank phone charger, the battery will drain out much faster on the first situation.

This may seem counterintuitive as the user may think “If I have 100% battery on both situations, why does one run out faster than the other one?”, the thing is that it depends on the quality of the charge that is why in the end charging a cell phone with a hand crank USB charger may not be as efficient as it seems, furthermore some models do not have the proper pin for Apple products. Thus it becomes almost useless with those kinds of phones.

Hand crank USB charger buyer’s guide

The most important thing to consider when buying an item of this is if you have the proper pin to make it work with the other device. Opposite to specific chargers, the USB cable is standard from one side although it may have different pins from the other side. Most of the regular USB hand crank chargers, for example, do not support Apple products, especially iPhone. So, take an extra minute to be sure that this device will get the job done and you will not end up buying a useless piece of plastic.

Conclusion – Is it worth buying and having a Hand crank USB charger?

This would be the only conclusion in which we would not recommend not buying one, but we may recommend buying specific hand crank chargers especially for the cellphones as they require very good quality of charge to work properly.

However, of course, it makes sense as the pros overcome the cons by far especially when it comes to the capabilities of virtually being able to charge almost any device wherever you are in the world. Buying a good quality hand crank USB charger that is water and hit proof is a great choice and almost a must if you are planning a trip outside into the wild.

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Wind-up flashlight

The Wind-up flashlight

There is something that is going to happen every night for the rest of humanity, that is that the night and thus the darkness will fall every day. This means that for centuries humanity has discovered different ways to keep the lights on after dark.

When going away on a trip or to the wild, there a lot of different things that you can take with you to replace things that are only available in the city. A cellphone, a kitchen, a flashlight, a bed, etc. However, most of these things usually require energy to work. In the case of flashlights, they usually work either by a regular battery, or they have a rechargeable battery that requires the user to connect the flashlight to the socket usually once per day.

Now, you can buy and take with you what is called wind up flashlights; these flashlights have a particular feature which is that they do not need to be plugged in to get recharged. Even though there are several models, the wind-up flashlight is one of the most common and famous ones. Other models can work through shaking the flashlight, or they have a button that you pressed to charge.

How does a wind-up flashlight work?

The principle is still the same in all the wind-up flashlight types; you use movement provided by your muscles that are converted into energy. This energy is converted and stored in the flashlight battery, and it provides a certain amount of light time. Of course, depending on the size of the LED or light of the device how much or less long the light will actually stay on. When the battery dries out is very simple, the user just needs to wind-up the flashlight again, and it is ready to use.

Pros of having a wind-up flashlight

The pros of having a wind-up flashlight are more than one, first of all, these kinds of flashlights are not only thought for a trip to the wild. Having a wind-up flashlight makes perfect sense at home (where there can be blackouts), in the car, on the garage, on a travel kit and of course if going away on a trip.

Imagine the endless sensation of knowing that as long as you can move your arm a little bit, you will have access to light, priceless right?

Opposite to the other models of non-traditional-power flashlights, the wind-up kind has the advantage that they still have an inside battery that is rechargeable; this means that you can first charge it, and then use it without the need to do both things at the same time, which can be very annoying. Depending on the models and your strength, in general, one minute of cranking or winding is enough for at least half an hour of light, especially with the new low-consumption led lights that are now available.

Another pro is that there are also wind-up flashlights that are water proof, this means that even if it is raining very hard or the device falls into the water, it will still work after that. Furthermore, there are also models that are hit proof, so you are a guarantee to have a working hand crank flashlight even in the worst conditions.

Cons when purchasing a wind-up flashlight

Like anything that has an integrated battery that is able to be recharged, this internal battery eventual wears off, and it is no longer capable of being recharged. This means that after you have purchased an item of this kind you have to check periodically that the battery is still working properly.

Depending on the quality of the model you buy how many times you should be able to recharge the battery, but as a rule, they last for about 500 full charges. Also, you have to have in mind that the wind-up system can break as well, so you have another extra con to look out for.

Wind-up flashlight buyer’s guide

The most important thing to consider when buying a wind-up flashlight are the features of it. Is it waterproof/ hit proof? And how many times can the internal battery be recharged? With this two bullet point you cover the basics of purchasing one, then, in general, all the models available online have a similar quality and are mostly made in China. As long as you are buying from a certified page, general quality will not be a problem.

Conclusion – Is it worth buying and having a wind-up flashlight?

Most definitely, not only for a trip but having one can be a life changer on the next emergency like a full power breakdown. These kinds of the flashlight are very useful, they can be charged over 500 times, and they are not expensive at all. Plus, opposite to other models of manually charging flashlight, you do not have to be cranking it while you want to use it as the power can be stored inside the unit. Furthermore, the new models come with low-consumption LEDs which makes one minute of charging enough for 30 minutes of light.

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Hand Crank Phone Charger

The Hand Crank Phone Charger

Probably one of the most important safety features that need to be in any emergency kit is having a hand crank phone charger that allows you to charge your phone battery wherever you are and whenever you need.

How does the hand crank phone charger work?

It works like every other phone charger, basically, the user just connects the mobile device to the charger, and that is it. The only difference is that, instead of being plugged into the wall or your car, these kinds of chargers have a hand-crank in which the user starts rotating it. This creates energy that is converted into a charge that is passed to the phone.

As long as you have energy in your arms to keep going, the phone will be charging. It is a great feature especially if you are going outdoors for long periods of time in which having an electric power supply may not be an option for hours or even days. On the plus side, it does not require any actual strength, although if you want to get a lot of energy out of it, some resistant will be needed.

[Pros] for the hand crank phone charger

Easy to carry, extremely light, and not expensive at all, all these features make this invention a must on your kit.

Keep in mind that besides the obvious utility of making an emergency phone call, most smartphones today also come with GPS, SMS capabilities plus a compass which will let you know the directions.

Do not underestimate all the possibilities that having a working smartphone can provide, even if you are out of cell coverage you may be able to access offline to maps, notes, clips, etc. That can change a dangerous situation to a “no worry situation.” Furthermore, on the not so tragic side, you can also take pictures and videos to capture the best moments of your trip and later show them to everybody.

[Cons] for the hand crank phone charger

It is very important to have in mind that even the high-quality hand crank phone chargers will only provide a small amount of energy after a lot of effort. Do not expect to have a full battery after a couple of seconds of workout, and also if the phone is dead (Battery is drained out completely), sometimes the phones require a minimum percentage of charge to start (Usually 2-3 %). As a rule, a couple of minutes with this device will give you enough battery to send an SMS or use the GPS/ Compass of the device, and about half an hour of constant work out will give you enough time for a brief phone call.

Lastly, as almost any device that generates energy, it is most fragile. If the device gets hit or it is dropped it may stop working without any possibilities of a fixed unless taken to service shops. Something similar happens with liquids, these kinds of devices are almost guaranteeing to stop working with minimum contact with liquids, and this includes, of course, regular rainfall.

Conclusion

Since the hand crank phone charges are not expensive, they are very small and easy to carry, they will for sure be a great addition to any emergency kit. Just be sure not to hit it, drop it or let it get wet even by rainfall or liquids. If the times comes to use it and it is broken, you will be very unhappy about that situation.